The introduction of VAR, or Video Assistant Referee, in soccer has sparked as much praise as controversy. Designed to help referees make fairer decisions, this technology has fundamentally changed how matches are officiated.
Today, we’ll take a detailed look at what VAR is, how it works, and weigh its merits and drawbacks.
What is VAR?
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is a technology assisted officiating system designed to help match officials make correct decisions during specific match situations. The system employs video feeds and audio communication between the on-field referee and a team of video match officials (VMOs) who monitor the match through multiple camera angles from a Video Operation Room (VOR).
VAR operates under the philosophy of “minimal interference, maximum benefit,” seeking to correct clear and obvious errors and serious missed incidents while maintaining the natural flow of the game. The system consists of several key personnel: the main Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Assistant Video Assistant Referees (AVARs), and Replay Operators (ROs) who assist in selecting optimal camera angles.
How Does VAR Work?
The VAR protocol follows a structured approach during match situations:
- Match Incident Identification: Either the centre referee or video match officials can identify a potentially reviewable situation requiring examination.
- Silent Check or Review Process: The VAR team automatically monitors all reviewable incidents through a “check” – a continuous process where video officials examine footage without stopping play unless a clear error is identified.
- Communication Phase: Video match officials communicate their findings to the on-field referee via headset systems, explaining what the footage reveals.
- Final Decision: The on-field referee retains ultimate authority, making the final decision after receiving VAR input or conducting an On-Field Review (OFR) at the Referee Review Area (RRA) – the pitch-side monitor.
When Is VAR Used?
VAR is used only in four specific, high-impact situations to ensure effectiveness without excessively disrupting the game:
- Goals and No-Goals: Confirming goal validity by checking for potential infringements in the Attacking Phase of Play (APP), including offside positions, fouls, handballs, or whether the ball crossed the goal line.
- Penalty Decisions: Evaluating whether penalty awards or non-awards are correct, including reviewing incidents for simulation or assessing if fouls occurred inside or outside the penalty area.
- Direct Red Card Incidents: Reviewing the correctness of straight red cards for serious foul play, violent conduct, or denial of obvious goalscoring opportunities (DOGSO). Notably, second yellow card cautions are not reviewable.
- Mistaken Identity: Ensuring the correct player receives disciplinary action when the referee has cautioned or dismissed the wrong player from the offending team.
VAR Assessment: Benefits and Drawbacks
The rollout of VAR in professional soccer has generated heated debate. Here are key talking points on both sides.
Advantages of VAR
- Enhanced Decision Accuracy: VAR significantly reduces major officiating errors, leading to fairer match outcomes and protecting the integrity of competition results.
- Improved Justice: Provides match officials with a valuable second examination of crucial decisions that could determine match results, particularly in high-stakes encounters.
- Reduced Post-Match Controversies: Helps diminish disputes regarding critical refereeing decisions, though this remains contested by some observers.
Drawbacks of VAR
- Match Flow Disruption: Can interrupt the natural rhythm of matches through extended stoppages during reviews, affecting the spectacle and emotional intensity of soccer.
- Continued Subjectivity: VAR decisions remain subjective in many instances, creating different types of frustration and confusion among supporters and participants.
- Technology Over-Reliance: Risk of excessive dependence on technological assistance, potentially undermining the on-field referee’s authority and decision-making confidence.
How Different Stakeholders View VAR? Stakeholder Perspectives
Supporters and soccer Fans
Fan opinions remain deeply divided regarding VAR’s impact on soccer. While some appreciate the enhanced fairness it brings to crucial decisions, others lament the frequent interruptions and loss of spontaneous celebration that characterise traditional soccer experiences.
Survey data reflects this polarisation – a Sky Sports poll revealed only 4% of fans believed VAR functioned “very well,” while 26% considered it worked “very badly,” and 34% rated its performance as “rather badly”.
Players and Coaching Staff
Professional players and coaches similarly hold mixed views on VAR’s influence. Some value the significant reduction in officiating errors that could affect their careers and club fortunes, while others feel the system disrupts soccer’s natural flow and undermines the human element of the sport.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp exemplified this criticism:
“The way it is used is certainly not right, how they use it… I would vote against VAR”.
Coaching staff must now incorporate potential VAR reviews into tactical planning and match management strategies.
Match Officials
For referees and assistant referees, VAR presents both opportunities and challenges. While the technology helps reduce critical errors and provides valuable support during complex decisions, it also adds considerable complexity to match officiating.
French Ligue 1 referee Patrick Lhermite noted: “VAR reduces the percentage of errors. It’s on the order of 80/20”. However, officials require specialised training to master VAR protocols and implications, representing a significant professional development requirement.
Notable VAR Cases
The use of VAR has been marked by several iconic moments in world soccer. Here are some of the most notable situations where VAR played a crucial role:
- 2018 FIFA World Cup: France vs. Australia
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, VAR was used decisively for the first time at a major tournament. In the group match between France and Australia, the referee awarded France a penalty after consulting VAR for a foul by Joshua Risdon on Antoine Griezmann. France scored the opener and won 2–1. - 2019 UEFA Champions League Final: Tottenham vs. Liverpool
Early in the final, the referee consulted VAR to check a handball by Moussa Sissoko in Tottenham’s box. A penalty was awarded to Liverpool, converted by Mohamed Salah for an early lead. Liverpool won 2–0. - Premier League 2019–20: Manchester City vs. Tottenham
In August 2019, a late Manchester City goal by Gabriel Jesus was overturned after VAR determined Aymeric Laporte handled the ball in the buildup. The game ended 2–2, denying City a last-minute winner.
Recent seasons have continued generating controversial VAR decisions across major competitions, with the 2024-25 Premier League season recording 13 official VAR errors according to the Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel.
Future Developments in VAR Technology
VAR continues evolving through technological advancement and protocol refinement to maximise effectiveness and supporter acceptance.
Technological Developments
Enhanced Camera Systems: Implementation of higher-resolution imaging technology providing clearer, more detailed review footage for complex decisions.
Artificial Intelligence Integration: Development of AI-powered analysis systems for faster, more accurate decision-making, particularly for objective calls like offside determinations.
Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT): Revolutionary system using up to 30 tracking cameras operating at 100 frames per second, tracking thousands of data points per player to automatically determine offside positions. This technology promises to reduce offside decision times by over 30 seconds on average.
Communication Technology: Advanced referee communication systems streamlining decision-making processes between video and on-field officials.
Protocol and Implementation Improvements
Refined Procedures: Continuously updated protocols ensuring consistent, transparent VAR application across different competitions and jurisdiction.
Reduced Match Interruptions: Strategic approaches to minimise game stoppages while maintaining decision integrity and accuracy.
Enhanced Official Training: Comprehensive education programmes ensuring referees achieve full proficiency in VAR applications and match management with technology assistance.
VAR’s Impact on soccer
VAR represents a significant evolution in soccer officiating, offering the potential to enhance fairness while introducing implementation and acceptance challenges. The technology’s effectiveness depends heavily on consistent application and how the global soccer community embraces these changes.
As VAR systems continue developing, regular review of governing laws and protocols becomes essential to maximise benefits while minimising negative impacts on soccer’s natural flow and emotional appeal. The ongoing introduction of semi-automated technologies, particularly for offside decisions, suggests VAR will become increasingly sophisticated and potentially less disruptive to match experiences.
The debate surrounding VAR reflects broader questions about technology’s role in sport – balancing accuracy with tradition, fairness with spontaneity. Whether VAR’s advantages ultimately outweigh its disadvantages may depend on continued technological refinement and the soccer community’s adaptation to these fundamental changes in match officiating.
Time will determine if VAR achieves its goal of making soccer fairer while preserving the beautiful game’s essential character and emotional resonance that captivates millions of supporters worldwide.
